Insult (Insult/Injury), taken from MTG Art, by Lucas Graciano and Wizards of the Coast
Welcome to the Card Creation League! Everyone is free to participate in either or both of the first two rounds. Come join us!
Theme
The magic of the natural elements is some of the most primal and mysterious there is - simplistic though it may seem, appearances can be deceiving, and the "elements" can include more abstract and powerful forces than most mages imagine.
This month, you'll be theming design around your picks from the following lists. Choose wisely, as your picks will carry over round-to-round.
Light
Grain
Moon
Energy (Static)
Sand
Holy
Metal
Water
Wind
Time
Energy (Potential)
Ice
Mist
Thought
Darkness
Void
Disease
Energy (Negative)
Blood
Poison
Soil
Fire
Stone
Speed
Energy (Kinetic)
Lightning
Dust
Magnetism
Wood
Storms
Life
Energy (Positive)
Seasons
Flesh
Wild
Challenge
Design a split card or a double-faced card based on your chosen elements from the first two rounds. Each half must be themed around one element.
Make sure to include a rarity.
Make sure you note your element choices.
No color restriction this time!
Stay tuned for June's CCL Final Poll. Anyone who votes will receive 2 bonus points for July's CCL!
PLEASE NOTE: This month will include a scoring change on a trial basis. For this month, you must submit a Top 3 during a round's critique period in order to receive any points for the round. Submitting critiques as well will be worth 2 bonus points in the round.
Your submissions are due Thursday, July 20, 23:59 EST.
Hourglass of Calm3
Artifact (R)
Hourglass of Calm enters the battlefield with three sand counters on it.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, remove a sand counter from Hourglass of Calm. Then, if there are no sand counters on Hourglass of Calm, transform it.
//// The Storm
[U]Enchantment
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, choose one —
- Return target non land permanent to its owner's hand.
- Copy that spell and you may choose new targets for the copy.
- Draw a card.
Man, I know why they come up with the names first and then design to them.
I present you: Hard and Fast (Metal and Magnetism)
Hard1U
Sorcery (U)
Put a metal counter on target permanent. It becomes an artifact in addition to its other types.
// Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.) // Fast1U
Sorcery (U)
Gain control of target permanent, if that permanent is an artifact.
Mockup:
As a reminder: 702.101d As a fused split spell resolves, the controller of the spell follows the instructions of the left half and then follows the instructions of the right half.
That's why the right half reads so awkward. It has to be able to target anything, but has to check for artifact while resolving.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Meteoric BombardmentxxR
Sorcery (R)
For each player, destroy X target lands that player controls.
If X is 2 or greater, put Meteoric Bombardment onto the battlefield transformed instead of into your graveyard as it resolves.
// Looming Moon
( ) Enchantment (R)
Nonbasic lands tapped for mana produce C instead of any other type.
Constant Trickles1WU
Sorcery (R)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until your next turn. If that creature’s power is 0 or less, materialize this card. (To materialize, put it onto the battlefield flipped.)
/////// Worn Rocks3UW
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has -1/-0.
You control enchanted creature.
Art by theirison.deviantart.com
note:
- This is a split card, that work just as normal split card which means both side can be cast anytime the card type allows it to be cast.
- Materialize is a keyword action, means to put a certain spell with this keyword onto the battlefield flipped sideways 90' Counter Clockwise showing the other side of the card upright.
- A card will materialize if certain conditions are met.
- When a player cast the first half of the card, the spell is put on the stack as an instant or a sorcery, it becomes permanent when the conditions are met, thus only spells or abilities that interacts with instants or sorceries may affect or target the spell.
- When a player cast the other half of the card, the spell is put on the stack as whatever permanent type it is on the other half.
Ignition2R
Instant (U)
Ignition deals 2 damage to each creature.
// Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.) // Cognition2U
Instant (U)
Draw a card for each creature dealt damage this turn.
Blood TransfusionXB
Sorcery (R)
Target creature an opponent controls gets -X/-X until end of turn. Put X +1/+1 counters on target creature you control, then put Blood Transfusion onto the battlefield transformed and attached to the creature you control. “Your blood makes my armor stronger. My armor makes me stronger.”
Mysterious Armor
Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature has base power and toughness 0/0.
If equipped creature would be dealt damage, prevent that damage and remove a +1/+1 counter from it.
Equip 1 It’s made of an enchanted metal that draws strength out of slain enemies.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Gardening by Night2G
Sorcery (R)
Exile up to three target creature cards from your graveyard. For each card you exiled this way, put a compost counter on a land you control. As long as they have compost counters on them, those lands have, "T: Add one mana of any type to your mana pool."
4G: Put Gardening by Night from your graveyard onto the battlefield transformed. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
//// Flourishing Moonglory
(Green color indicator) Enchantment
At the beginning of your first main phase each turn, for each land you control with a compost counter on it, add to your mana pool one mana of any type.
Stop1UU
Sorcery (R)
Tap all creatures target player controls.
// Go3RR
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures that attacked this turn. After this main phase, there is an additional combat phase followed by an additional main phase.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Create your own cards on MTG.Design
( ancestral on Custom Magic Discord server )
( mproud on reddit )
I adjusted a few formatting details in most of these cards. That doesn't impact the judgments.
Sand//Wind
Hourglass of Calm3
Artifact (R)
Hourglass of Calm enters the battlefield with three sand counters on it.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, remove a sand counter from Hourglass of Calm. Then, if there are no sand counters on Hourglass of Calm, transform it.
The Storm
(U) Enchantment (R)
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, choose one —
• Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand.
• Copy that spell and you may choose new targets for the copy.
• Draw a card.
Storm was its own item in the list, but this is a very good execution on the concept of the calm before the storm. The trigger on the front side makes sense with the calm flavor and is also a nice throwback to the werewolf mechanic. A little problem with the wording in the second mode of the back side. The Storm is nice, but it just feels like a list of things blue can do. It should also be noted that it can be accessed by any color, as there are no color requirements in the mana cost of the front side, and I feel like that might be a big problem. You're essentially giving all colors easy access to bounce, copying spells and card drawing. That's not good from a color pie perspective.
Metal and Magnetism
Hard1U
Sorcery (U)
Put a metal counter on target permanent. It becomes an artifact in addition to its other types.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Fast1U
Sorcery (U)
Gain control of target permanent, if that permanent is an artifact.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
As a reminder: 702.101d As a fused split spell resolves, the controller of the spell follows the instructions of the left half and then follows the instructions of the right half.
That's why the right half reads so awkward. It has to be able to target anything, but has to check for artifact while resolving.
This is good, and I really appreciate the nuance on the wording. You have indeed to check for the artifact type on resolution. I don't really have anything bad to say about this card, I like it and it makes sense with the chosen concepts.
Stone & Moon
Meteoric BombardmentxxR
Sorcery (R)
For each player, destroy X target lands that player controls.
If X is 2 or greater, put Meteoric Bombardment onto the battlefield transformed instead of into your graveyard as it resolves.
Looming Moon
(W) Enchantment (R)
Nonbasic lands tapped for mana produce C instead of any other type.
Precedent for wording on the back side: Hall of Gemstone. I also think the back side feels more red than white, but no problem as you have to pay red mana for it anyway. I'm just not a fan of land destruction as a mechanic, but at least this hits you too. It just looks a bit potentially oppressive to me as resource denial.
Stone & Time
Constant Trickles1WU
Sorcery (R)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until your next turn. If that creature’s power is 0 or less, materialize this card. (To materialize a card, put it onto the battlefield flipped with its other half up.)
Worn Rocks3UW
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has -1/-0.
You control enchanted creature.
Notes:
- This is a split card, that work just as normal split card which means both side can be cast anytime the card type allows it to be cast.
- Materialize is a keyword action, means to put a certain spell with this keyword onto the battlefield flipped sideways 90° counterclockwise showing the other side of the card upright.
- A card will materialize if certain conditions are met.
- When a player cast the first half of the card, the spell is put on the stack as an instant or a sorcery, it becomes permanent when the conditions are met, thus only spells or abilities that interacts with instants or sorceries may affect or target the spell.
- When a player cast the other half of the card, the spell is put on the stack as whatever permanent type it is on the other half.
I had to correct the reminder text. "Flipped" is one of the most misused terms in Magic: it has a very specific meaning related to the Kamigawa flip cards, and you can't "flip" a card that's not a Kamigawa flip card. That's true for DFCs (that "transform" instead, and it pains me more than it should whenever someone says "flip" instead of "transform", a mistake that I've heard even LSV do on coverage) and for all other mechanics one can ever come up with that aren't Kamigawa flip cards, and that includes materialize. I'd leave to the Rules Manager to figure what the exact wording would need to be, but it certainly will not involve the word "flip". Anyway, I like the mechanic, it's certainly very original and I'd be quite curious to see the render (which doesn't work for me) to see what you did with the frame. I'd expect something like the aftermath frame, but I'm not sure. Finally, there are serious rules issues with this card, and I assume all the materialize cards, because a split card has both sets of characteristics anywhere except on the stack, so this would be an enchantment on the battlefield, but also a sorcery, and a sorcery on the battlefield is a big no-no in the rules. Easy solution: make this (and all materialize cards) a DFC, like Startled Awake, and have materialize say "put it onto the battlefield transformed". All the issues are suddenly solved at once, both the wording one and the rules one!
Fire + Thought
Ignition2R
Instant (U)
Ignition deals 2 damage to each creature.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Cognition2U
Instant (U)
Draw a card for each creature dealt damage this turn.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Except for small potential memory issues in the blue half, I really like this card. It's very clean, simple, elegant and effective. It also makes complete sense with the chosen concepts and I really like the rhyming names. This is the clear winner of this round to me.
Moon + Soil
Gardening by Night2G
Sorcery (R)
Exile up to three target creature cards from your graveyard. For each card you exiled this way, put a compost counter on a land you control. As long as they have compost counters on them, those lands have "T: Add one mana of any type to your mana pool." 4G: Put Gardening by Night from your graveyard onto the battlefield transformed. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
Flourishing Moonglory
(G) Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your first main phase each turn, for each land you control with a compost counter on it, add to your mana pool one mana of any type.
I feel like the chosen concepts really limited you here. The result is a very complex card, even if very flavorful indeed. It works, but I'm not a fan of how the card looks. I'm sorry.
Wind and Fast
Stop1UU
Sorcery (R)
Tap all creatures target player controls.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Go3RR
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures that attacked this turn. After this main phase, there is an additional combat phase followed by an additional main phase.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
A loose connection to the chosen concept for the first half, but all the rest is good. The synergy between the two halves is the high point in my opinion, but I also like how clean and elegant the card looks.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
proudawesome:
- The text "Tap all creatures target player controls" has been printed 3 times, "Tap all creatures your opponent controls" has been printed 4 times in total, the cheapest in term of CMC is 3 in Naya Charm at a hefty GWR color requirement, the closest to this we have is Sleep at 2UU with additional not untaping next turn. so i believe this card is somewhat undercosted in a way, since split card is going to always cost more than the original version of the card, since we have options, just like other kind of modal cards and charms.
- The Go part is fine since this cost 1 more than the original version which is Relentless Assault. This two effect is game ending definitely, if you manage to get to 8 mana, your opponent will probably be dead when you manage to fuse them.
- These two effects does go well together, and this reminds me of the rare split fuse card cycle of RTR which definitely gives powerful effect when you manage to do it
- Them wise, i don't really get the wind part since both Wind and Fast is somewhat described in the Go part, wind is always fast dynamic and flexible, this is on the other side more towards stopping time or sort.
willows:
- the front face is somewhat wordy but this basically say exile up to three creature cards from your graveyard, that many lands you control can tap for any color.
- this is at heart a color fixing card, but an expensive one since this cost 3 mana plus having 3 creatures died previously before you can make full use of this card.
- This becomes ramp card once you manage to transform it. This is not an effective one since all that set up you do, ramps you up by 3, but you need to have 8 mana investment in total to do it, most of the time you can do it on turn 5. Which ramps you up to 9 mana the next turn.
- The effect itself is unique, but the power level is certainly weak.
- Moonlight and Soil, theme wise it definitely fits!
bravelion83:
- ability wise, the front part reminds me of Subtle Strike, but with additional benefits. Subtle Strike is an instant with 2 cmc, this is XB sorcery, so i believe the cmc is right on this card.
- the transformed part, is weirdly weak, this becomes a liability, since you don't want your creature to be 0/0 definitely. Especially after you give it counters which meant to make it bigger. most people would want the preventing damage remove a +1/+1 a la Undergrowth Champion.. truly a mysterious armor. I can't think of any other use of this equipment other than other self +1/+1 generating cards like Evolve cards or Undergrowth Champion kind.
- flavor wise, i'm confused on how do you do Blood Transfusion on your enemy giving it to your creature to make them bigger. It's almost felt more like Sucking the Blood kind of thing rather than voluntary blood transfusion kind. Also how the equipment actually makes the owner weaker somewhat.
- Theme wise, its Blood on the face and metal on the back seems good.
IcariiFA:
- the first thing come to mind, wow, this is a bunch of card advantage surely.
- but cost wise, Pyroclasm effect has been around forever. the newest of the kind is 3 mana Kozilek's Return which have an additiona upside. So this seems fine at 3 mana instant.
- the Cognition side, is never been done before, effect counting creatures that have been dealt damage this turn, has never done this.
- combined, this reminds me of what blue red controls has always wanted, instant mass removal that gives you bunch of cards. This is not the power level of a mere uncommon i think. I believe this is comparable to Sphinx's Revelation, at 6 mana, revelation gives you 3 life and 3 cards. But this, this nets you much more than that, this is potentially a 1 for 6 or even more at 6 mana. the more creature there is one the battlefield, the more you draw. Even the cognition halves worked just fine after a combat, a combat involving 2 creature from each side gives you a total of 4 cards for just 3 mana at instant speed.
- this leads me to believe, this card is somewhat overpowered. This could be reduced by at least making it a Sorcery.
- theme wise, it fits, Fire and Thought indeed.
Rocco:
- cost wise it seems fine being a 5 mana mini Armageddon. That transform into Blood Moon.
- Effect seems fine, this is a cool card imo, definitely going to get you hated out in a multiplayer game.
- Right on the color pie of what red would want, although the other side, i'm still not sure if white does this nonbasic hate, but it affects both players.
- Theme wise it fits, Stone raining turning lands into moons.
Doomfish
- the name is hilarious.
- at 6 mana, this is Confiscate with added benefit of becoming cheaper if the target is already an artifact. This option itself balance wise, would requires at least another extra point of mana for the total cost. Also there's the previous incarnation of this which is Steal Artifact which cost 2UU. So i believe the steal artifact part should at least cost 4U or 3UU, since you have the option.
- the turning things into artifact though, if pushed it still can go for even just U since by itself, it does accomplish nothing much.
- i believe 6 cmc could be fine, but it needs to cost more than confiscate which is why i propose it to have at least 3 U in the cost.
- this basically reads as 4 mana gain control of target permanent, that permanent becomes an artifact. Not fine at 4 mana. Memnarch does it at the cost of 4UUU with initial cost of 7. The closest of what gain control of an artifact permanently gets is Dack Fayden, which is a 1UR planeswalker -2 ability.
- this card is severely undercosted.
- the best 2UU can do for gaining control nowadays is Kefnet's Last Words with a drawback of not having the lands untapped next turn.
- Theme wise, i can see the Metal and Magnetism on this card.
JamBlock:
- the front side doesn't really do anything, Transforming do not trigger on removing the last sand counters, but requires no spell cast last turn as well. This is a difficult task to do and definitely a long investment if done normally. This do requires help if we want to transform it fast.
- this wait however is worthwhile, once you get into the storm part, nothing will stop you as everything you cast, nets you something, definitely helps if you cast storm combo cards. The options gives you everything you want when you play storm cards, copying the effect or just draw a card while you ramp into your combo
- the front part is rather weak, but the other side do will win you games.
- theme wise, Sand and Wind seems fitting to the card.
Hourglass of Calm3
Artifact (R)
Hourglass of Calm enters the battlefield with three sand counters on it.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, remove a sand counter from Hourglass of Calm. Then, if there are no sand counters on Hourglass of Calm, transform it.
//// The Storm
[U]Enchantment
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, choose one —
- Return target non land permanent to its owner's hand.
- Copy that spell and you may choose new targets for the copy.
- Draw a card.
The calm before the storm. Love it.
I see this getting used mostly in multiplayer formats, but also potentially as a sideboard mirror control hoser. It's a risky play, as it has virtually no impact on the board until it transforms, and no immediate impact once it does. There are a few quality issues, but nothing damning.
Stone & Time
Constant Trickles1WU
Sorcery (R)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until your next turn. If that creature’s power is 0 or less, materialize this card. (To materialize, put it onto the battlefield flipped.)
/////// Worn Rocks3UW
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has -1/-0.
You control enchanted creature.
Art by theirison.deviantart.com
note:
- This is a split card, that work just as normal split card which means both side can be cast anytime the card type allows it to be cast.
- Materialize is a keyword action, means to put a certain spell with this keyword onto the battlefield flipped sideways 90' Counter Clockwise showing the other side of the card upright.
- A card will materialize if certain conditions are met.
- When a player cast the first half of the card, the spell is put on the stack as an instant or a sorcery, it becomes permanent when the conditions are met, thus only spells or abilities that interacts with instants or sorceries may affect or target the spell.
- When a player cast the other half of the card, the spell is put on the stack as whatever permanent type it is on the other half.
There are some interesting ideas here, specifically making a keyword action out of the whole "Sorcery becomes an enchantment" concept that several of us used. Unfortunately, it's confused and complicated beyond printability. Since the effect of Constant Trickles lasts until your next turn, it feels like it wants to be an instant. This isn't feasible in the card's current form, since you'd be casting an unconditional, 3-mana Control Magic at instant speed. And on that note, the way this is worded, you can target Creature A with the sorcery half, then choose to enchant Creature B with the other half, regardless of Creature B's power. This just isn't a fair use of 1WU. Additionally, I consider it bad design to rely on arcane rules for the normal function of a card, like what happens when auras enter the battlefield without having been cast. And lastly, None of the flavor elements are doing it for me. The card names are too mundane, and don't work with their respective mechanics, nor does either half embody your chosen elements (I don't evenn know which half is supposed to represent which element).
I do like the aim of this card, just not what you actually landed on.
(Metal and Magnetism)
Hard1U
Sorcery (U)
Put a metal counter on target permanent. It becomes an artifact in addition to its other types.
// Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.) // Fast1U
Sorcery (U)
Gain control of target permanent, if that permanent is an artifact.
Mockup:
Very nice. Simple, flavorful, elegant. It's costed fairly well, considering there are no non-creature precedents for this exact effect. Memnarch's version costs a total of 4UUU, compared to your card's 4UU (I'm just realizing your render shows a different mana cost for Fast than your text card. I know the text card is supposed to be the "official" entry, but I can't help assume you intended it to cost 3U instead of the ridiculously cheap 1U). My only complaint about the card is that Hard will very rarely have any use on its own.
Fire + Thought
Ignition2R
Instant (U)
Ignition deals 2 damage to each creature.
// Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.) // Cognition2U
Instant (U)
Draw a card for each creature dealt damage this turn.
"Ignition and Cognition" doesn't really follow the naming convention of Fuse cards, but that's not a huge issue.
Your elemental flavor is great, and I appreciate the names sharing a suffix while appropriately depicting their respective mechanics. Balance-wise, if you were dead-set on Ignition being an instant, it needed to either cost more or do less damage. The going rate for 3 damage to each creature, with no upsides and at sorcery speed, is three colored mana (See: Radiant Flames) This card has an added benefit of additional value if it's cast fused, but deals 1 less damage. 2R seems about right as a sorcery, but I think it's too powerful for an instant (but not by much). The interplay between the two halves is clever and fun, but both halves also stand on their own just fine. Neither half is especially unique on its own, though.
Blood TransfusionXB
Sorcery (R)
Target creature an opponent controls gets -X/-X until end of turn. Put X +1/+1 counters on target creature you control, then put Blood Transfusion onto the battlefield transformed and attached to the creature you control. “Your blood makes my armor stronger. My armor makes me stronger.”
Mysterious Armor
Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature has base power and toughness 0/0.
If equipped creature would be dealt damage, prevent that damage and remove a +1/+1 counter from it.
Equip 1 It’s made of an enchanted metal that draws strength out of slain enemies.
Mechanically, this is a neat trick. It's a noncreature version of Gigantoplasm or a permanent, single-target Biomass Mutation. Whichever reference you prefer, the effect isn't very black, even if the flavor seems OK. I think I'm confused, though. Flavor-wise, why does it make sense for the armor to turn its wearer into a 0/0? I understand that the size of the transfusion determines how large the creature will be, but was there really a need to zero out its stats like that? And while we're on the topic of flavor, Blood Transfusion's flavor text is great, but Mysterious Armor's isn't. It's pretty bland, and doesn't match the tone of the former. It could have been left off entirely,
as the other flavor text says basically the same thing.
Themes: Nonwhite Moon + Nonblack Soil
Gardening by Night2G
Sorcery (R)
Exile up to three target creature cards from your graveyard. For each card you exiled this way, put a compost counter on a land you control. As long as they have compost counters on them, those lands have, "T: Add one mana of any type to your mana pool."
4G: Put Gardening by Night from your graveyard onto the battlefield transformed. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
//// Flourishing Moonglory
(Green color indicator) Enchantment
At the beginning of your first main phase each turn, for each land you control with a compost counter on it, add to your mana pool one mana of any type.
Let me just say, mechanically, I love this card. Even its internal flavor is great. Some of the wording needs correction,
but nothing major. There is just one issue, and it's a pretty big one. Moon-themed cards that interact with mana production LIMIT the kinds of mana that lands produce, or turn it colorless (Pale Moon, Blood Moon, Imprisoned in the Moon). In the context of this challenge, and by my estimation, that's a lethal oversight. otherwise, this might be my favorite card of the bunch.
Wind and Fast
Stop1UU
Sorcery (R)
Tap all creatures target player controls.
// Go3RR
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures that attacked this turn. After this main phase, there is an additional combat phase followed by an additional main phase.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
You mean wind and speed, right? No real difference, but I was momentarily confused.
There's nothing wrong with the card. Everything checks out. I could see this getting printed as-is. I don't think it's really contest-material. It does two things that lots of other cards already do, albeit with a dash of spice on account of the synergy from casting it fused. Also, I doubt it would ever get cast that way due to the intense mana cost (4UURR!)
I just realized my text-form entry has the wrong mana cost. The render shows the correct one. I'd be happy if you could consider that in your judgement.
Lots of cards I liked this time.
Certainly, this is rather creative. But couldn't this have worked rather easily as a single card? I guess it would have become micro text and this would probably look better. It just seems so unnecessary to have sides, when this just transforms right away ever time anyways. I like the individual halfes. Blood Transfusion would work as a standalone card even, but Mysterious Armor certainly wouldn't. It's nice to have the first part in order to make clear what it's all about. It's still a rather odd card. Strange how you can equip it to another creature, sacrificing it in the process, to make your creature stronger by adding the base stats again. Might be a very great fit for a set where you need something that conveys a cruel and alien feeling.
It's like a very delayed werewolf! That backside is incredibly strong. Not sure if the front side is too easy to flip. 3 turns is a lot, but damn do you get a payoff for that. But that's concerns for playtesting. The concept is amazing. A very cool way to pull of a super strong card on the backside. The names are great. It feels like they should be legendary though. After all it's THE Storm, not any storm.
Oh boy, land destruction, huh? Scary. But I guess it's costy enough. Not sure why the backside is white. It's pretty close to Blood Moon. Could have just still be red. Not sure how enjoyable the card is. 5 mana for a lesser Blood Moon is a lot. But after all you get to destroy two lands of your choice. Which can lock out a player from the game, if that's the only two basics. Which doesn't sound fun at all and isn't something WotC would want in their game with their current policy on land destruction. It's a cool land destruction design in a world where that's no longer supported.
Interesting take on Split-Card names. Make them rhyme. A very unique way of drawing cards for sure. I like how both halves are viable to cast without having to use the other, but are good together. In a draft you might take this card for either of the two. The whole thing might be on the strong side. Coginition easily draws two cards and with great potential for more. For just 3 mana that's scary. But it's creature based, which isn't one of blue's strengths. Very interesting indeed.
Woa, talk about a finisher. It certainly is a costy card. The name is very cool. Often enough Stop will do the job on it's own. Sometimes Go will. If that didn't happen by turn 8+ then both may do the trick. That's nice. A bit worrysome though. The card seems very hard to play around. Not sure how you get Stop from Wind. But I guess if you try real hard you can flavor Wind as anything.
I like how the card is still a bit weaker once you got it. The concept of materialize is cool. It's a bit on the confusing side, but once you got it, it probably plays really well. What I dislike is that Constant Trickles is just never worth it to cast on anything with power 4 or greater. Awkward -3 power on sorcery speed. That's hardly ever useful, if it wasn't for the second half. That means most of the time this card just plays like if the second half also gave -3/-0 on the first turn and cost 3 mana. There should be some adjustment to that. I guess it's a reward system for hitting something with power 3 or less, but that makes the first half not feel like a card on its own, which is a big part of split cards, having both halves be able to stand alone. The card is rather strong right now, but that's fine.
This seems rather convoluted. It's so all over the place, got so much going on. It's a cool ramp card, even if it's a bit hard to pull off just for some fixing. The flavor of composing is well done. The execution of the mechanics could use some work though. Simplify!
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
The only thing I don’t like about this card is the names. Other than that, it’s cool synergy, probably appropriately costed, and the mechanics absolutely match the themes you’re working around. Strong in an artifact-y mirror match and still strong in literally any other match.
I like the naming convention being a strong escalation of “stone rain” and then a take on blood moon. Overall, this card is very very strong if you’re ahead on mana by any reasonable margin. I think it’s a very cool pairing of cards, and my primary concern is just that the power level could genuinely be too high, even if it is situational.
This is just a lot of mechanics to unpack, as evidenced by the amount of notes you’ve included. Basically it’s an expensive control magic that you can get for cheaper if its target is low-power. Overall, this just seems like a lot going on at strange costs for underwhelming effects. Also, personally, I don’t understand why the names go with the mechanics and how and of this besides the names has to do with stone.
This is awesome. Great synergy, on-color effects, plays well into your themes, I am fully on board. Don’t really have anything else to say other than great job.
My complaint about this card is a sort of strange one, and it’s that I wish the backside were an aura instead of an equipment, even though I understand that you were working around the metal theme. The reason is, that Mysterious Armor is just something you are very unlikely to ever want to equip to anything at all, unless you are playing mono-hydras or something. It’s a cool premise and I like the interacting between both sides, but the Mysterious Armor side just feels odd too have sticking around.
This is neat. I’m a sucker for putting counters on lands that do things, and this does a good job of accomplishing that flavorfully, and at a good power level. I think the only thing I’m not a big fan of here is the name “Flourishing Moonglory” - feels like a stretch.
This is a very expensive and color-demanding card to fuse, and realistically, you’re rarely going to want or need to do both. Each side is pretty powerful on its own, and overall the card is actually not bad at all, but while I understand how the flavor of “stop” COULD be wind, there’s nothing about the card as-is that makes me think of wind at all. Go definitely works for Fast, but Stop and Wind are two different concepts.
“A Separation”
Insult (Insult/Injury), taken from MTG Art, by Lucas Graciano and Wizards of the Coast
Theme
The magic of the natural elements is some of the most primal and mysterious there is - simplistic though it may seem, appearances can be deceiving, and the "elements" can include more abstract and powerful forces than most mages imagine.
This month, you'll be theming design around your picks from the following lists. Choose wisely, as your picks will carry over round-to-round.
Light
Grain
Moon
Energy (Static)
Sand
Holy
Metal
Water
Wind
Time
Energy (Potential)
Ice
Mist
Thought
Darkness
Void
Disease
Energy (Negative)
Blood
Poison
Soil
Fire
Stone
Speed
Energy (Kinetic)
Lightning
Dust
Magnetism
Wood
Storms
Life
Energy (Positive)
Seasons
Flesh
Wild
Stay tuned for June's CCL Final Poll. Anyone who votes will receive 2 bonus points for July's CCL!
PLEASE NOTE: This month will include a scoring change on a trial basis. For this month, you must submit a Top 3 during a round's critique period in order to receive any points for the round. Submitting critiques as well will be worth 2 bonus points in the round.
Contestants:
bravelion83
doomfish
JamBlock
Rocco
IcariiFA
proudawesome
iphanx
willows
Schedule
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Hourglass of Calm 3
Artifact (R)
Hourglass of Calm enters the battlefield with three sand counters on it.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, remove a sand counter from Hourglass of Calm. Then, if there are no sand counters on Hourglass of Calm, transform it.
////
The Storm
[U]Enchantment
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, choose one —
- Return target non land permanent to its owner's hand.
- Copy that spell and you may choose new targets for the copy.
- Draw a card.
holderMan, I know why they come up with the names first and then design to them.
I present you: Hard and Fast (Metal and Magnetism)
Hard 1U
Sorcery (U)
Put a metal counter on target permanent. It becomes an artifact in addition to its other types.
// Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.) //
Fast 1U
Sorcery (U)
Gain control of target permanent, if that permanent is an artifact.
Mockup:
As a reminder:
702.101d As a fused split spell resolves, the controller of the spell follows the instructions of the left half and then follows the instructions of the right half.
That's why the right half reads so awkward. It has to be able to target anything, but has to check for artifact while resolving.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Stone & Moon
Meteoric Bombardment xxR
Sorcery (R)
For each player, destroy X target lands that player controls.
If X is 2 or greater, put Meteoric Bombardment onto the battlefield transformed instead of into your graveyard as it resolves.
//
Looming Moon
( ) Enchantment (R)
Nonbasic lands tapped for mana produce C instead of any other type.
Constant Trickles 1WU
Sorcery (R)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until your next turn. If that creature’s power is 0 or less, materialize this card. (To materialize, put it onto the battlefield flipped.)
///////
Worn Rocks 3UW
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has -1/-0.
You control enchanted creature.
Art by theirison.deviantart.com
note:
- This is a split card, that work just as normal split card which means both side can be cast anytime the card type allows it to be cast.
- Materialize is a keyword action, means to put a certain spell with this keyword onto the battlefield flipped sideways 90' Counter Clockwise showing the other side of the card upright.
- A card will materialize if certain conditions are met.
- When a player cast the first half of the card, the spell is put on the stack as an instant or a sorcery, it becomes permanent when the conditions are met, thus only spells or abilities that interacts with instants or sorceries may affect or target the spell.
- When a player cast the other half of the card, the spell is put on the stack as whatever permanent type it is on the other half.
Ignition 2R
Instant (U)
Ignition deals 2 damage to each creature.
// Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.) //
Cognition 2U
Instant (U)
Draw a card for each creature dealt damage this turn.
Blood and metal, if it isn't obvious. Precedents for wording: Startled Awake, Savage Punch, Protean Hydra.
Blood Transfusion XB
Sorcery (R)
Target creature an opponent controls gets -X/-X until end of turn. Put X +1/+1 counters on target creature you control, then put Blood Transfusion onto the battlefield transformed and attached to the creature you control.
“Your blood makes my armor stronger. My armor makes me stronger.”
Mysterious Armor
Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature has base power and toughness 0/0.
If equipped creature would be dealt damage, prevent that damage and remove a +1/+1 counter from it.
Equip 1
It’s made of an enchanted metal that draws strength out of slain enemies.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Gardening by Night 2G
Sorcery (R)
Exile up to three target creature cards from your graveyard. For each card you exiled this way, put a compost counter on a land you control. As long as they have compost counters on them, those lands have, "T: Add one mana of any type to your mana pool."
4G: Put Gardening by Night from your graveyard onto the battlefield transformed. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
////
Flourishing Moonglory
(Green color indicator) Enchantment
At the beginning of your first main phase each turn, for each land you control with a compost counter on it, add to your mana pool one mana of any type.
Stop 1UU
Sorcery (R)
Tap all creatures target player controls.
//
Go 3RR
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures that attacked this turn. After this main phase, there is an additional combat phase followed by an additional main phase.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
( ancestral on Custom Magic Discord server )
( mproud on reddit )
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Sand//Wind
Hourglass of Calm 3
Artifact (R)
Hourglass of Calm enters the battlefield with three sand counters on it.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, remove a sand counter from Hourglass of Calm. Then, if there are no sand counters on Hourglass of Calm, transform it.
The Storm
(U) Enchantment (R)
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, choose one —
• Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand.
• Copy that spell and you may choose new targets for the copy.
• Draw a card.
Storm was its own item in the list, but this is a very good execution on the concept of the calm before the storm. The trigger on the front side makes sense with the calm flavor and is also a nice throwback to the werewolf mechanic. A little problem with the wording in the second mode of the back side. The Storm is nice, but it just feels like a list of things blue can do. It should also be noted that it can be accessed by any color, as there are no color requirements in the mana cost of the front side, and I feel like that might be a big problem. You're essentially giving all colors easy access to bounce, copying spells and card drawing. That's not good from a color pie perspective.
Metal and Magnetism
Hard 1U
Sorcery (U)
Put a metal counter on target permanent. It becomes an artifact in addition to its other types.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Fast 1U
Sorcery (U)
Gain control of target permanent, if that permanent is an artifact.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
This is good, and I really appreciate the nuance on the wording. You have indeed to check for the artifact type on resolution. I don't really have anything bad to say about this card, I like it and it makes sense with the chosen concepts.
Stone & Moon
Meteoric Bombardment xxR
Sorcery (R)
For each player, destroy X target lands that player controls.
If X is 2 or greater, put Meteoric Bombardment onto the battlefield transformed instead of into your graveyard as it resolves.
Looming Moon
(W) Enchantment (R)
Nonbasic lands tapped for mana produce C instead of any other type.
Precedent for wording on the back side: Hall of Gemstone. I also think the back side feels more red than white, but no problem as you have to pay red mana for it anyway. I'm just not a fan of land destruction as a mechanic, but at least this hits you too. It just looks a bit potentially oppressive to me as resource denial.
Stone & Time
Constant Trickles 1WU
Sorcery (R)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until your next turn. If that creature’s power is 0 or less, materialize this card. (To materialize a card, put it onto the battlefield
flippedwith its other half up.)Worn Rocks 3UW
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has -1/-0.
You control enchanted creature.
I had to correct the reminder text. "Flipped" is one of the most misused terms in Magic: it has a very specific meaning related to the Kamigawa flip cards, and you can't "flip" a card that's not a Kamigawa flip card. That's true for DFCs (that "transform" instead, and it pains me more than it should whenever someone says "flip" instead of "transform", a mistake that I've heard even LSV do on coverage) and for all other mechanics one can ever come up with that aren't Kamigawa flip cards, and that includes materialize. I'd leave to the Rules Manager to figure what the exact wording would need to be, but it certainly will not involve the word "flip". Anyway, I like the mechanic, it's certainly very original and I'd be quite curious to see the render (which doesn't work for me) to see what you did with the frame. I'd expect something like the aftermath frame, but I'm not sure. Finally, there are serious rules issues with this card, and I assume all the materialize cards, because a split card has both sets of characteristics anywhere except on the stack, so this would be an enchantment on the battlefield, but also a sorcery, and a sorcery on the battlefield is a big no-no in the rules. Easy solution: make this (and all materialize cards) a DFC, like Startled Awake, and have materialize say "put it onto the battlefield transformed". All the issues are suddenly solved at once, both the wording one and the rules one!
Fire + Thought
Ignition 2R
Instant (U)
Ignition deals 2 damage to each creature.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Cognition 2U
Instant (U)
Draw a card for each creature dealt damage this turn.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Except for small potential memory issues in the blue half, I really like this card. It's very clean, simple, elegant and effective. It also makes complete sense with the chosen concepts and I really like the rhyming names. This is the clear winner of this round to me.
Moon + Soil
Gardening by Night 2G
Sorcery (R)
Exile up to three target creature cards from your graveyard. For each card you exiled this way, put a compost counter on a land you control. As long as they have compost counters on them, those lands have "T: Add one mana of any type to your mana pool."
4G: Put Gardening by Night from your graveyard onto the battlefield transformed. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
Flourishing Moonglory
(G) Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your first main phase each turn, for each land you control with a compost counter on it, add to your mana pool one mana of any type.
I feel like the chosen concepts really limited you here. The result is a very complex card, even if very flavorful indeed. It works, but I'm not a fan of how the card looks. I'm sorry.
Wind and Fast
Stop 1UU
Sorcery (R)
Tap all creatures target player controls.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Go 3RR
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures that attacked this turn. After this main phase, there is an additional combat phase followed by an additional main phase.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
A loose connection to the chosen concept for the first half, but all the rest is good. The synergy between the two halves is the high point in my opinion, but I also like how clean and elegant the card looks.
Top 3
1st place: IcariiFA
2nd place: doomfish
3rd place: proudawesome
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
- The text "Tap all creatures target player controls" has been printed 3 times, "Tap all creatures your opponent controls" has been printed 4 times in total, the cheapest in term of CMC is 3 in Naya Charm at a hefty GWR color requirement, the closest to this we have is Sleep at 2UU with additional not untaping next turn. so i believe this card is somewhat undercosted in a way, since split card is going to always cost more than the original version of the card, since we have options, just like other kind of modal cards and charms.
- The Go part is fine since this cost 1 more than the original version which is Relentless Assault. This two effect is game ending definitely, if you manage to get to 8 mana, your opponent will probably be dead when you manage to fuse them.
- These two effects does go well together, and this reminds me of the rare split fuse card cycle of RTR which definitely gives powerful effect when you manage to do it
- Them wise, i don't really get the wind part since both Wind and Fast is somewhat described in the Go part, wind is always fast dynamic and flexible, this is on the other side more towards stopping time or sort.
- the front face is somewhat wordy but this basically say exile up to three creature cards from your graveyard, that many lands you control can tap for any color.
- this is at heart a color fixing card, but an expensive one since this cost 3 mana plus having 3 creatures died previously before you can make full use of this card.
- This becomes ramp card once you manage to transform it. This is not an effective one since all that set up you do, ramps you up by 3, but you need to have 8 mana investment in total to do it, most of the time you can do it on turn 5. Which ramps you up to 9 mana the next turn.
- The effect itself is unique, but the power level is certainly weak.
- Moonlight and Soil, theme wise it definitely fits!
- ability wise, the front part reminds me of Subtle Strike, but with additional benefits. Subtle Strike is an instant with 2 cmc, this is XB sorcery, so i believe the cmc is right on this card.
- the transformed part, is weirdly weak, this becomes a liability, since you don't want your creature to be 0/0 definitely. Especially after you give it counters which meant to make it bigger. most people would want the preventing damage remove a +1/+1 a la Undergrowth Champion.. truly a mysterious armor. I can't think of any other use of this equipment other than other self +1/+1 generating cards like Evolve cards or Undergrowth Champion kind.
- flavor wise, i'm confused on how do you do Blood Transfusion on your enemy giving it to your creature to make them bigger. It's almost felt more like Sucking the Blood kind of thing rather than voluntary blood transfusion kind. Also how the equipment actually makes the owner weaker somewhat.
- Theme wise, its Blood on the face and metal on the back seems good.
- the first thing come to mind, wow, this is a bunch of card advantage surely.
- but cost wise, Pyroclasm effect has been around forever. the newest of the kind is 3 mana Kozilek's Return which have an additiona upside. So this seems fine at 3 mana instant.
- the Cognition side, is never been done before, effect counting creatures that have been dealt damage this turn, has never done this.
- combined, this reminds me of what blue red controls has always wanted, instant mass removal that gives you bunch of cards. This is not the power level of a mere uncommon i think. I believe this is comparable to Sphinx's Revelation, at 6 mana, revelation gives you 3 life and 3 cards. But this, this nets you much more than that, this is potentially a 1 for 6 or even more at 6 mana. the more creature there is one the battlefield, the more you draw. Even the cognition halves worked just fine after a combat, a combat involving 2 creature from each side gives you a total of 4 cards for just 3 mana at instant speed.
- this leads me to believe, this card is somewhat overpowered. This could be reduced by at least making it a Sorcery.
- theme wise, it fits, Fire and Thought indeed.
- cost wise it seems fine being a 5 mana mini Armageddon. That transform into Blood Moon.
- Effect seems fine, this is a cool card imo, definitely going to get you hated out in a multiplayer game.
- Right on the color pie of what red would want, although the other side, i'm still not sure if white does this nonbasic hate, but it affects both players.
- Theme wise it fits, Stone raining turning lands into moons.
- the name is hilarious.
- at 6 mana, this is Confiscate with added benefit of becoming cheaper if the target is already an artifact. This option itself balance wise, would requires at least another extra point of mana for the total cost. Also there's the previous incarnation of this which is Steal Artifact which cost 2UU. So i believe the steal artifact part should at least cost 4U or 3UU, since you have the option.
- the turning things into artifact though, if pushed it still can go for even just U since by itself, it does accomplish nothing much.
- i believe 6 cmc could be fine, but it needs to cost more than confiscate which is why i propose it to have at least 3 U in the cost.
- this card is severely undercosted.
- the best 2UU can do for gaining control nowadays is Kefnet's Last Words with a drawback of not having the lands untapped next turn.
- the front side doesn't really do anything, Transforming do not trigger on removing the last sand counters, but requires no spell cast last turn as well. This is a difficult task to do and definitely a long investment if done normally. This do requires help if we want to transform it fast.
- this wait however is worthwhile, once you get into the storm part, nothing will stop you as everything you cast, nets you something, definitely helps if you cast storm combo cards. The options gives you everything you want when you play storm cards, copying the effect or just draw a card while you ramp into your combo
- the front part is rather weak, but the other side do will win you games.
- theme wise, Sand and Wind seems fitting to the card.
1. Rocco
2. Jamblock
3. Doomfish
Hourglass of Calm 3
Artifact (R)
Hourglass of Calm enters the battlefield with three sand counters on it.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, remove a sand counter from Hourglass of Calm. Then, if there are no sand counters on Hourglass of Calm, transform it.
////
The Storm
[U]Enchantment
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, choose one —
- Return target non land permanent to its owner's hand.
- Copy that spell and you may choose new targets for the copy.
- Draw a card.
The calm before the storm. Love it.
I see this getting used mostly in multiplayer formats, but also potentially as a sideboard mirror control hoser. It's a risky play, as it has virtually no impact on the board until it transforms, and no immediate impact once it does. There are a few quality issues, but nothing damning.
Constant Trickles 1WU
Sorcery (R)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until your next turn. If that creature’s power is 0 or less, materialize this card. (To materialize, put it onto the battlefield flipped.)
///////
Worn Rocks 3UW
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has -1/-0.
You control enchanted creature.
Art by theirison.deviantart.com
note:
- This is a split card, that work just as normal split card which means both side can be cast anytime the card type allows it to be cast.
- Materialize is a keyword action, means to put a certain spell with this keyword onto the battlefield flipped sideways 90' Counter Clockwise showing the other side of the card upright.
- A card will materialize if certain conditions are met.
- When a player cast the first half of the card, the spell is put on the stack as an instant or a sorcery, it becomes permanent when the conditions are met, thus only spells or abilities that interacts with instants or sorceries may affect or target the spell.
- When a player cast the other half of the card, the spell is put on the stack as whatever permanent type it is on the other half.
There are some interesting ideas here, specifically making a keyword action out of the whole "Sorcery becomes an enchantment" concept that several of us used. Unfortunately, it's confused and complicated beyond printability. Since the effect of Constant Trickles lasts until your next turn, it feels like it wants to be an instant. This isn't feasible in the card's current form, since you'd be casting an unconditional, 3-mana Control Magic at instant speed. And on that note, the way this is worded, you can target Creature A with the sorcery half, then choose to enchant Creature B with the other half, regardless of Creature B's power. This just isn't a fair use of 1WU. Additionally, I consider it bad design to rely on arcane rules for the normal function of a card, like what happens when auras enter the battlefield without having been cast. And lastly, None of the flavor elements are doing it for me. The card names are too mundane, and don't work with their respective mechanics, nor does either half embody your chosen elements (I don't evenn know which half is supposed to represent which element).
I do like the aim of this card, just not what you actually landed on.
Hard 1U
Sorcery (U)
Put a metal counter on target permanent. It becomes an artifact in addition to its other types.
// Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.) //
Fast 1U
Sorcery (U)
Gain control of target permanent, if that permanent is an artifact.
Mockup:
Very nice. Simple, flavorful, elegant. It's costed fairly well, considering there are no non-creature precedents for this exact effect. Memnarch's version costs a total of 4UUU, compared to your card's 4UU (I'm just realizing your render shows a different mana cost for Fast than your text card. I know the text card is supposed to be the "official" entry, but I can't help assume you intended it to cost 3U instead of the ridiculously cheap 1U). My only complaint about the card is that Hard will very rarely have any use on its own.
Ignition 2R
Instant (U)
Ignition deals 2 damage to each creature.
// Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.) //
Cognition 2U
Instant (U)
Draw a card for each creature dealt damage this turn.
"Ignition and Cognition" doesn't really follow the naming convention of Fuse cards, but that's not a huge issue.
Your elemental flavor is great, and I appreciate the names sharing a suffix while appropriately depicting their respective mechanics. Balance-wise, if you were dead-set on Ignition being an instant, it needed to either cost more or do less damage. The going rate for 3 damage to each creature, with no upsides and at sorcery speed, is three colored mana (See: Radiant Flames) This card has an added benefit of additional value if it's cast fused, but deals 1 less damage. 2R seems about right as a sorcery, but I think it's too powerful for an instant (but not by much). The interplay between the two halves is clever and fun, but both halves also stand on their own just fine. Neither half is especially unique on its own, though.
Blood Transfusion XB
Sorcery (R)
Target creature an opponent controls gets -X/-X until end of turn. Put X +1/+1 counters on target creature you control, then put Blood Transfusion onto the battlefield transformed and attached to the creature you control.
“Your blood makes my armor stronger. My armor makes me stronger.”
Mysterious Armor
Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature has base power and toughness 0/0.
If equipped creature would be dealt damage, prevent that damage and remove a +1/+1 counter from it.
Equip 1
It’s made of an enchanted metal that draws strength out of slain enemies.
Mechanically, this is a neat trick. It's a noncreature version of Gigantoplasm or a permanent, single-target Biomass Mutation. Whichever reference you prefer, the effect isn't very black, even if the flavor seems OK. I think I'm confused, though. Flavor-wise, why does it make sense for the armor to turn its wearer into a 0/0? I understand that the size of the transfusion determines how large the creature will be, but was there really a need to zero out its stats like that? And while we're on the topic of flavor, Blood Transfusion's flavor text is great, but Mysterious Armor's isn't. It's pretty bland, and doesn't match the tone of the former. It could have been left off entirely,
as the other flavor text says basically the same thing.
Gardening by Night 2G
Sorcery (R)
Exile up to three target creature cards from your graveyard. For each card you exiled this way, put a compost counter on a land you control. As long as they have compost counters on them, those lands have, "T: Add one mana of any type to your mana pool."
4G: Put Gardening by Night from your graveyard onto the battlefield transformed. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
////
Flourishing Moonglory
(Green color indicator) Enchantment
At the beginning of your first main phase each turn, for each land you control with a compost counter on it, add to your mana pool one mana of any type.
Let me just say, mechanically, I love this card. Even its internal flavor is great. Some of the wording needs correction,
but nothing major. There is just one issue, and it's a pretty big one. Moon-themed cards that interact with mana production LIMIT the kinds of mana that lands produce, or turn it colorless (Pale Moon, Blood Moon, Imprisoned in the Moon). In the context of this challenge, and by my estimation, that's a lethal oversight. otherwise, this might be my favorite card of the bunch.
Stop 1UU
Sorcery (R)
Tap all creatures target player controls.
//
Go 3RR
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures that attacked this turn. After this main phase, there is an additional combat phase followed by an additional main phase.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
You mean wind and speed, right? No real difference, but I was momentarily confused.
There's nothing wrong with the card. Everything checks out. I could see this getting printed as-is. I don't think it's really contest-material. It does two things that lots of other cards already do, albeit with a dash of spice on account of the synergy from casting it fused. Also, I doubt it would ever get cast that way due to the intense mana cost (4UURR!)
2. doomfish
3. willows
Lots of cards I liked this time.
2. JamBlock
3. iphanx
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
The only thing I don’t like about this card is the names. Other than that, it’s cool synergy, probably appropriately costed, and the mechanics absolutely match the themes you’re working around. Strong in an artifact-y mirror match and still strong in literally any other match.
I like the naming convention being a strong escalation of “stone rain” and then a take on blood moon. Overall, this card is very very strong if you’re ahead on mana by any reasonable margin. I think it’s a very cool pairing of cards, and my primary concern is just that the power level could genuinely be too high, even if it is situational.
This is just a lot of mechanics to unpack, as evidenced by the amount of notes you’ve included. Basically it’s an expensive control magic that you can get for cheaper if its target is low-power. Overall, this just seems like a lot going on at strange costs for underwhelming effects. Also, personally, I don’t understand why the names go with the mechanics and how and of this besides the names has to do with stone.
This is awesome. Great synergy, on-color effects, plays well into your themes, I am fully on board. Don’t really have anything else to say other than great job.
My complaint about this card is a sort of strange one, and it’s that I wish the backside were an aura instead of an equipment, even though I understand that you were working around the metal theme. The reason is, that Mysterious Armor is just something you are very unlikely to ever want to equip to anything at all, unless you are playing mono-hydras or something. It’s a cool premise and I like the interacting between both sides, but the Mysterious Armor side just feels odd too have sticking around.
This is neat. I’m a sucker for putting counters on lands that do things, and this does a good job of accomplishing that flavorfully, and at a good power level. I think the only thing I’m not a big fan of here is the name “Flourishing Moonglory” - feels like a stretch.
This is a very expensive and color-demanding card to fuse, and realistically, you’re rarely going to want or need to do both. Each side is pretty powerful on its own, and overall the card is actually not bad at all, but while I understand how the flavor of “stop” COULD be wind, there’s nothing about the card as-is that makes me think of wind at all. Go definitely works for Fast, but Stop and Wind are two different concepts.
1 IcariiFA
2 willows
3 doomfish
1: doomfish
2: proudawesome
3: bravelion83
1. Rocco
2. JamBlock
3. doomfish
doomfish
JamBlock
IcariiFA
Rocco
The next round will be up shortly.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝